Monitor Comparison (the age old question)

J

jax_rox

Well-known member
I'm looking into buying an on-board monitor. I'm looking mostly for AC use - would be nice to be able to use it when shooting, but it's not a deal clincher.

Currently I'm looking between the DP7-PRO LCD, the AC7-OLED and the Convergent Design Odyssey7.

Obviously the Odyssey7 isn't available yet, but I'd be happy to wait a tad longer if it was worth waiting for. I like that the O7 can be used as a recorder as well, but realistically it's an added bonus, rather than a deal-sealer.

I like the hard-buttons on the smallHD, I like that one press of a button when a Director walks up to the monitor, and I'm out of Focus mode and into 'normal' mode. I hate the colour and image reproduction on the DP6. It's terrible. Even on the AC7 OLED's I've used, the picture, whilst better, is still not incredibly accurate. I quite like the image reproduction on the TVLogic VFM-056WP - it's certainly a lot more accurate (i.e. when the DP takes his eye off the Alexa viewfinder and looks at the on-board he doesn't screw up his face and go 'wtf is this monitor doing to my image?!'). The Focus Assist leaves a bit to be desired, however.

So, I'm basically looking for the TV Logic's image with the DP(x)'s focus assist. I'm hoping the DP7 is the answer - anyone have any experience? I've restrained from buying smallHD so far because every time one is supplied with the camera kit, I find myself needing to explain to the DP/Director/whoever that the image on the monitor is far from accurate.

I also like being able to offer a Waveform when shooting on something like the Phantom Miro that doesn't offer any on-board exposure check.

It seems like the O7 will be the best of all worlds, but there's no word as to when (or really if) it's going to ship. I've also never experienced one first-hand, so I'm not sure if I will love or hate an entirely touchscreen workflow.

I also sometimes find myself on the occasional film job, and the O7 simply doesn't support analogue signals.

Any ideas/experience/stories/knowledge to share? I'm leaning towards the DP7-LCD, anyone used it, or any of the DP7 line - any insight as to whether it's worth the upgrade over the AC7 OLED?

In an ideal world I wouldn't need a monitor, but it's starting to become a necessity as rehearsal become incredibly rare when a digital camera ends up booked, as does shooting at a T-stop over 2.8...
 
The DP7-PRO OLED is awesome(I've never used the LCD version). I received mine last July and it lives in my camera bag. Out of my seven monitors, it's my most used and favorite. Great image, there's no explaining, "this isn't what the camera image REALLY looks like". It matches up to my 17" Sony OLED very closely. Tons of features and very compact and light weight so it's no problem mounting it on a camera, I put it on my VarCam and C300 all the time. A friend has the AC7 OLED and the first time I saw it(after having had mine for several months), I made one of those WTF faces. It is definitely NOT to be confused with or thought of as a less expensive, fewer feature version of the DP7 OLED. It was basically a larger DP6(old menu system and all) with a little better color. I don't know if its a deal breaker, because you mentioned hard buttons, BUT the OLED is touchscreen. The only thing I can really say that I do not like about the DP7 is the sunshade/hood. The design of the DP6 is fantastic, but they had to design this one differently because there are scroll wheels for the menu in the corners, so obviously they can't anchor the hood there, now. Kinda sux, but I guess everything is a trade off ; )

I've actually thought about trying to sell my two DP6's and get another DP7-PRO OLED. I just saw where they are $300 off right now, so now is probably the time if you've been on the fence.
 
Very convincing - touchscreen is certainly not a deal breaker. I'm incredibly tempted to go for one..

What are your thoughts on the Oddyssey7Q? If I was to head up into the price range of the DP7, I'd be looking at the O7Q as the alternative - which is currently available (unlike the O7, which takes it out of contention somewhat in the AC7 vs DP7 comparison).
 
The AC7 oled ships with super funky color/contrast. If you calibrate it, it is awesome.
 
I've never used(or seen) the O7/7Q in person, so unfortunately I can't compare them except on paper, as I'm sure you probably already have. I'm sure it is probably very nice, though.

I will definitely agree that it was funky. I wasn't sure how he had it set-up(apparently not at all), but at that moment in time, it was useable for framing/focus and that was about it. It was kind of like looking at a "cartoon interpretation" of what was being shot.
 
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